Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'herm. à trois chev. d'azur.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Talavera family of France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'herm. à trois chev. d'azur.”

The Talavera arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
More families held coats of arms in Bretagne than anywhere else in France. The land was divided into many small estates rather than a few large ones, so far more households counted as gentry, and each needed a shield of its own to be told apart.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
In France, a coat of arms was a mark of honor that passed down through the male line to all legitimate descendants. Families often used the same shield without changes to show their shared heritage. If a branch wanted to stand out, they could add a small mark to their shield to show their specific place in the family tree.
The surname Talavera originates from the ancient city of Talavera de la Reina in central Spain, which served as a significant crossroads for Roman, Visigothic, and Moorish cultures. While the name is deeply rooted in the Iberian Peninsula, the family expanded its reach across Europe over several centuries. By 1663, records confirm that members of the family had established a presence in the region of Bretagne in northwestern France. This migration was likely driven by the movement of merchants, soldiers, or skilled laborers who traveled along established trade routes connecting the Spanish kingdoms to the Atlantic coast. Once settled in Bretagne, these family members integrated into the local society while maintaining the distinct identity associated with their ancestral name. Their presence in this coastal province highlights the historical mobility of families during the seventeenth century as they sought new opportunities in different European territories.
Derived from the Latin talaria meaning winged sandals or ankle-related.
